Humanitarian aid

The high and volatile food prices that triggered a renewed interest in food security since the 2008 – 0 9 crisis are expected to continue due to several factors that include the impacts of climate change. Current policy prescriptions focus on food production; however, a broader approach based on food systems is more appropriate as it encompasses all aspects of food production, storage, dist ribution and consumption, all of which will be affected by climate change and especially by the growing frequency and severity of extreme weather events. As most low - income groups in both rural and urban areas are net buyers of food, access and affordabili ty are central concerns. There is also a need for more attention to urban food security .

The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2012 presents new estimates of undernourishment based on a revised and improved methodology. The new estimates show that progress in reducing hunger during the past 20 years has been better than previously believed, and that, given renewed efforts, it may be possible to reach the MDG hunger target at the global level by 2015. However, the number of people suffering from chronic undernourishment is still unacceptably high, and eradication of hunger remains a major global challenge.

The Right to Food and Nutrition Watch 2012 addresses the decision making process on global food and nutrition from this human rights perspective. The question “who decides?” includes the question “who is excluded from decision making?” Food and power are related. It is almost impossible to find one person among the powerful in society and politics worldwide who has not sufficient to eat. The tendency is that exclusion from economic and political decision making goes hand in hand with incidence of hunger and malnutrition.

The 2012 Human Development Report for Africa explores why dehumanizing hunger remains pervasive in the region, despite abundant agricultural resources, a favorable growing climate, and rapid economic growth rates. It also emphasizes that food security – the ability to consistently acquire enough calories and nutrients for a healthy and productive life - is essential for human development.  

The sight of severely malnourished children too weak to even sit is fortunately a rare one in South Africa. For some, this is a sign that malnutrition is not an important health problem in South Africa. However this could not be further from the truth.